All-sources handle up slightly at Del Mar

DEL MAR, Calif. – All-sources average handle is on the rise at Del Mar.

After a slow start to the summer meeting caused by wet weather on opening weekend, July 17-18, the track reported a 1.2 percent rise in average handle through Sunday, the 14th day of the 40-day meeting.

Average handle was $12,561,148 compared with $12,411,493 at the same point in the 2014 summer meeting. The all-sources handle includes simulcasting and account-wagering sources. Simulcasting handle, from California and out of state, has risen 3 percent, while account-wagering handle has risen 11 percent.

Attendance and ontrack handle continue to show double-digit declines, though not as severe as through July 26, the ninth day of the meeting. Attendance has averaged 16,484, a drop of 11 percent from 2014. Through July 26, attendance was down 12.5 percent. Ontrack handle has averaged $2,049,080, a decline of 11.2 percent. Through July 26, ontrack handle was down 18.6 percent.

The meeting opened July 16.

The track had a successful start to the 2014 season, but business tailed off in late July and early August last year after a rash of injuries to horses led to negative publicity. Track president Joe Harper said a pick six carryover and greater interest in racing due to American Pharoah’s appearance in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park helped last Sunday’s business figures.

Last Saturday, the 50-cent pick four pool reached a record $1,008,751, surpassing the previous mark of $960,755 set in 2004.